1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector having a spacer for preventing terminal fittings received in a connector housing from falling out of the connector housing.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various electronic devices are mounted on a vehicle. A wiring harness is arranged in the vehicle for supplying electric power, control signals, and the like to the electronic devices. The wiring harness includes a plurality of electric wires and a connector. The electric wire is a so-called coated wire having a conductive core wire and an insulating cover.
The connector includes a conductive terminal fitting and an insulating connector housing. The terminal fitting is formed by bending a metal plate. The connector housing is made in a box shape and receives the terminal fitting. The connector is connected to the connector of the electronic devices. The wiring harness supplies the electric power and the control signals owing to the connector connected to the connector of the electronic devices.
Japanese published patent application No. H3-29276 discloses a connector having a spacer for preventing the terminal fitting from falling out of the connector housing.
As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, in such a connector 101, an opening 105 into which a spacer 104 is inserted into is formed on an outer wall of a connector housing 103 receiving a plurality of terminal fittings 102. Because the spacer 104 inserted into the opening 105 presses the terminal fittings 102 received in the connector housing 103, the terminal fittings 102 are prevented from falling out of the connector housing 103.
In the connector 101, when the spacer 104 is inserted into the connector housing 103, a locking part 106 formed on the spacer 104 is pressed into a mating part 107 formed inside the connector housing 103, so that the spacer 104 is fixed to the connector housing 103. For taking out the spacer 104 from the connector housing 103, a jig 200 is inserted into a receptacle 108 mounted on an edge of the spacer 104, opened toward the opening 105, and twisted.
However, such a connector 101 is often used in lubricating oil of an automatic transmission. In the lubricating oil of the automatic transmission, foreign particles such as metallic powder generated by a gear abrasion float. The foreign particles easily enter an inside of the connector housing 103 from the receptacle 108. Further, because the receptacle 108 communicates with the terminal fittings 102, there is a fear that the terminal fittings 102 may be short-circuited by the foreign particles entering the connector housing 103 from the receptacle 108 in a direction of an arrow E in FIG. 11 and adhered to the terminal fittings 102. For preventing an invasion of the foreign particles, a waterproofing connector of which inside and outside thereof are sealed may be used. However, such a waterproofing connector cannot be downsized.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a connector that prevents terminals from being short-circuited caused by an invasion of foreign particles into a connector housing.